Multi-stage operation type air conditioner

Abstract

A multi-stage operation type air conditioner which can be operated in various cooling or heating capacities. The multi-stage operation type air conditioner includes a first discharge port, a first opening/closing device for opening or closing the first discharge port, a second discharge port having a size different from that of the first discharge port, a second opening/closing device for opening or closing the second discharge port, and a controller for controlling the air conditioner such that the air conditioner may be operated with one of the first and second discharge ports opened, in an operation with a lower cooling or heating load, and the air conditioner may be operated with both the first and second discharge ports opened, in an operation with a higher cooling or heating load.

1. A multi-stage operation air conditioner, comprising:
 a first discharging port; 
 a first opening/closing device which opens or closes the first discharging port; 
 a first heat exchanger disposed at a position adjacent to the first discharging port; 
 a second discharging port having a size different from that of the first discharging port; 
 a second opening/closing device which opens or closes the second discharging port; 
 a second heat exchanger disposed at a position adjacent to the second discharging port; 
 a partition panel which prevents air passing through the first heat exchanger from being discharged to the second discharging port and prevents air passing through the second heat exchanger from being discharged to the first discharging port; 
 a controller which controls the air conditioner such that the air conditioner is operative with either the first discharging port or the second discharging port opened, but not both, during an operation with a lower cooling or heating load, and the air conditioner is operative with both the first and second discharging ports opened, during an operation with a higher cooling or heating load; 
 a first compressor driven when the first discharging port is opened; and 
 a second compressor driven when the second discharging port is opened, and having a compressing capacity larger than that of the first compressor. 
 
     
     
       2. A multi-stage operation air conditioner, comprising:
 a first discharging port; 
 a first opening/closing device which opens or closes the first discharging port; 
 a first heat exchanger disposed at a position adjacent to the first discharging port; 
 a second discharging port having a size different from that of the first discharging port; 
 a second opening/closing device which opens or closes the second discharging port; 
 a second heat exchanger disposed at a position adjacent to the second discharging port; 
 a partition panel which prevents air passing through the first heat exchanger from being discharged to the second discharging port and prevents air passing through the second heat exchanger from being discharged to the first discharging port; 
 a controller which controls the air conditioner such that the air conditioner is operative with either the first discharging port or the second discharging port opened, but not both, during an operation with a lower cooling or heating load, and the air conditioner is operative with both the first and second discharging ports opened, during an operation with a higher cooling or heating load, 
 wherein the second discharging port has a size larger than that of the first discharging port, the operation with the lower cooling or heating load comprises a first stage operation for operating the air conditioner with the first discharging port opened and with the second discharging port closed, and a second stage operation for operating the air conditioner with the second discharging port opened and with the first discharging port closed, and the operation with the higher cooling or heating load comprises a third stage operation for operating the air conditioner with the first and second discharging ports opened; 
 a first compressor driven when the first discharging port is opened; and 
 a second compressor driven when the second discharging port is opened, and having a compressing capacity larger than that of the first compressor. 
 
     
     
       3. A multi-stage operation air conditioner, comprising:
 a first compressor for compressing a refrigerant; 
 a first discharging port opened only when the first compressor is driven; 
 a first opening/closing device which selectively opens and closes the first discharging port; 
 a first heat exchanger disposed at a position adjacent to the first discharging port; 
 a second compressor having a compressing capacity different from that of the first compressor; 
 a second discharging port having a size different from that of the first discharging port, and being opened only when the second compressor is driven; 
 a second opening/closing device which selectively opens and closes the second discharging port; 
 a second heat exchanger disposed at a position adjacent to the second discharging port; 
 a partition panel which prevents air passing through the first heat exchanger from being discharged to the second discharging port and prevents air passing through the second heat exchanger from being discharged to the first discharging port; and 
 a controller which controls the air conditioner such that when only the first compressor is driven, only the first discharging port is opened, and when the second compressor is driven, at least the second discharging port is opened. 
 
     
     
       4. The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the controller controls the air conditioner such that at least one of the first discharging port and the second discharging port is opened in association with driving of the first and second compressors to perform multi-stage operations having different cooling capacities. 
     
     
       5. The air conditioner according to  claim 4 , wherein the second compressor has a compressing capacity larger than that of the first compressor, and the second discharging port has a size larger than that of the first discharging port. 
     
     
       6. The air conditioner according to  claim 5 , wherein the multi-stage operation comprises a first stage operation, with the first discharging port opened and with the second discharging port closed, for driving the first compressor while preventing the second compressor from being driven, and a second stage operation, with the second discharging port opened and with the first discharging port closed, for driving the second compressor while preventing the first compressor from being driven, and a third stage operation, with the first and second discharging ports opened, for driving the first and second compressors. 
     
     
       7. The air conditioner according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a bypass pipe, closed in the second and third stage operations, for bypassing the refrigerant discharged from the first compressor toward an intake side of the first compressor in the first stage operation; and 
 a bypass valve provided in the bypass pipe. 
 
     
     
       8. The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , wherein the second heat exchanger has a heat exchanging efficiency higher than that of the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
       9. The air conditioner according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first valve for controlling a flow of the refrigerant supplied to the first heat exchanger; and 
 a second valve for controlling the flow of the refrigerant supplied to the second heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
       10. The air conditioner according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller controls the air conditioner such that the first valve is opened with the second valve being closed in the first stage operation, the second valve is opened with the first valve being closed in the second stage operation, and such that both the first and second valve are opened in the third stage operation.